Nato halts offensive ahead of poll

Nato said its forces in Afghanistan were suspending "offensive operations" during the country's elections.

It comes as up to 10 people including Nato staff were killed in a suicide bomb attack on a convoy near a military base outside Kabul.

The threat of violence looms larger over Afghanistan's presidential election as Hamid Karzai's main rival Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister, told a crowd of flag-waving supporters in Kabul that he would win the election "if they don't steal your votes".

Analysts say that rhetoric could stoke a violent backlash if his supporters believe they have been cheated in Thursday's election. Substantial questions over the fairness of the balloting could result in a winner without real legitimacy - a serious problem in a country where the central government is struggling to exert control beyond the capital.

The US is spending millions of dollars and pressing a new military offensive this month to make sure the voting comes off well.

But Mr Abdullah, an ophthalmologist who has railed against government corruption, is not the only one who expects fraud. Voting observers warn that cheating will most likely take place at polling stations in remote or dangerous areas where independent monitors cannot be present.

A Nato spokesman confirmed military operations would be suspended for the poll. Brigadier General Eric Tremblay said: "Our efforts alongside our Afghan security partners will focus on protecting the people of Afghanistan from the insurgents so that the population can freely exercise their right to choose their next president and their provincial representatives."

Recent opinion polls in Afghanistan point to a Karzai win, with the President leading Mr Abdullah by about 20%. None of the polls, however, has Mr Karzai with more than about 45% support and the President needs 50% of the votes to avoid a two-person run-off.

The latest suicide attack was on the road leading from Kabul to Bagram Air Base, the largest facility in the country. British troops guarded the site of the explosion, in which dozens more were injured, as rescuers rushed the wounded to hospitals.

There were also reports of two rocket attacks on the presidential compound in the capital Kabul, with no injuries.